7 Ways to Build Resilient Teams

Some teams crumble. Others devour each other. Masks come off during crisis. Resilient teams adapt, recover, and emerge stronger.

Resilient teams don’t simply survive; they thrive.

Personal grit isn’t team resilience. Here’s how gritty teams are built.

7 Ways to Build Resilient Teams

#1. Ask, “What Could Go Wrong”

Prepared teams thrive. They talk about what could go wrong. Emergency service teams rehearse for a crisis. You might not do a rehearsal but occasionally ask:

• What will we do if we lose a major customer?
• What issues are we brushing aside that might bite us later?
• What’s our approach if there’s another pandemic?

Rehearsal bolsters resilence.

#2. Adapt in Real Time

Resilience isn’t rigidity. Gritty teams shift gears when conditions change.

• Share or shift responsibilities.
• Loosen rules when flexibility serves the mission.
• Ask, What’s one thing we can adjust today?

#3. Lose Drama

Drama makes urgency worse. Crisis doesn’t require chaos. Communicate clearly, quickly, and calmly. Use simple language.

• Keep people in the loop.
• Say what you know. Don’t wait until you know everything.
• Communicate even when nothing changes. Silence leads to speculation.

#4 Learn Out Loud

Investigate why something worked or why it didn’t.

• Hold timely after-action reviews.
• Explore surprises.
• Consider what to do differently next time.

#5. Call Time-Out

Leave room to breathe.

• End meetings early.
• Chill out together.

#6. Universal Ownership

Everyone chooses what’s best for the team, even if it hurts individuals.

• Support but don’t rescue people.
• Expect everyone to contribute.

#7. Explore Ripples

One department’s problem is everyone’s problem.

Universal Question: When something goes wrong, ask, “What can we do to thrive in this situation?”

Everyone wants a team that rises up when pressure goes up. How can leaders build resilient teams?

Learn more: Where Grit Really Comes From

Source: Exploring Resilience